Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-07-16

be necessary to explain why California, on
the same lines of latitude, and even in
high attitudes, has a winterless climate,
while the country east of the Sierra Ne
vada at all elevations has six months
winter
In the Pacific ocean off the coast Of North
America there is a great heated current
that has its source in the torrid zcne under
a burning tropic sun, and after it has swept
around the earth's great circle it washes
the whole of our coast. From these heated
waters the air comes up over the land and
drives winter high up into the mountains,
and gives the valleys and lower elevations
over TO flowers and semi-trepical fruits.
There is another and more powerful
cause which gives US SO exceptional eli
mate for our latitude. Commencing at the
extreme western point of the great Alaskan
peninsula, 1900 miles west of the bay of
San Francisco, lofty and continuous
range Of mountains runs along the coast,
first almost east for several hundred miles
and then south by east along the whole
Pacific shores to Mexico. This is clearly
illustrated by a cut engraved for the
REcoRD-UNIoN, accompanying this article
This range
FORMS GREAT BARRIER,
Which defects all the Arctic air currents
to the cast 1t is safe to say that but for
this mountain barrier even the heated river
in the ocean, washing the whole length of
our shores, would be ineffective in expell-
ing winter. If the great Arctic winds COM
ing over thousands of miles of ice and
snow could sweep over the coast there
would not be an orange or lemon north of
the Mexican boundary, and not even there.
1t is the absence of hyperborean winds.
and the constant presence of the tempered
winds from the heated ocean current, both
together, that gives us a winterless eli
mate, while our neighbors beyond the
Sierra Nevada are shivering through six
months of winter.
PROOF OF THE STATEMENT
The best proof of the truth of this
theory is found along the railroad where it
crosses the mountain barrier Auburn is
on the western side of the Sierra Nevada.
and Truckee is on the eastern side, and the
two places are only S3 miles apart.
Truckee is shut off from the influences of
the temperate winds from the ocean cur
rent, and is exposed to the sweeping Arctic
blasts. and the result is that the earth is
deeply frozen, there are great falls of snow,
and the ice is two feet in thickness
Auburn on the other hand, is completely
protected from the Arctic winds bv the
great mountain barrier, and feels the con-
tinued influence of the tempered winds
from the heated current in the ocean. and
the result in her case is that she has no
snow, no ice and no cold winds Orange.
lemon and pomegranate trees grow to per
fection all around her, and delicate and
sensitive plants live and bloom in the
open air all the winter long.
A TRUE sEAu-TRoPIc CLIMATE.
The year has only two seasons-spring
and autumn. The rains brings spring and
the dry season gives the autumn. The
first showers in October or November start
the vegetation into life again; the hills
and mountain sides become as green in
their spring dress as the Emerald Isle,
and the flowers bud and blossom The
showers continue to June, alternating with
clear skies and sunlight.
THE AVERAGE RAINFALL
Is above 80 inches, and this precipitation
takes place between October and June.
During the summer and early autumn
months there is seldom any rain. The
temperature and rainfall are such that
there is little loss of time Almost every
day of the year can be used for some pro-
ductive outdoor work. In this respect
there is marked contrast to the country
east of the Sierras. There people and
animals are shut up by the incIeuent
weather for half of the year, and all the
work which can be done is connected with
the consumption of the summers earn
lngs. In the valleys we are describing. as
soon as the autumn showers come the
plows are set TO work preparing for tree
and vine planting, and the orchards and
vineyards are busy scenes of pruning and
cultivating.
ECONOMIC OF CLIMATE.
The economic importance of climate
like that of the Naca- district is of the ut
most Importance to the intending settler.
For the benefit of those who are seeking
homes we Will contrast the climate of this
district and the climate of those States
and Territories which are competing for
the immigrant. Here in the Vaca district
the mean temperature of the year is 60o
Fair. For the spring months il is 3. 40;
for the summer months, 72So; for the au-
tumn months, 6l.60, and for the winter,
53.20. For ten years the highest temper
ature shown by any thermometer, with ex-
posure according to the rules of the Smith
sonian Institution, has been 1909, and the
lowest temperature has been 240 above
zero
The economic Importance Of such tenn
peratures, as stated, is almost beyond calcIl-
lation. 1t Is subject that has received
little attention from the economists, as
there are few regions of the earth favored
with such climatic conditions.
CONTRAST WITH THE EAST.
In the States east Of the Rocky Noun
tainS, along and north of the fortieth par
ailel of latitude there are hardly more
than twenty-six weeks for field work, only
one-half of the year to he used for produc-
tion. The other half is lost. so far as pro-
duetlve labor is concerned. One-half of
the life of the farmer-the prime producer
is wasted in unproductive winters. Not
only Is this the case, but the low tenpera-
ture of these regions neoessitates a larger
expenditure there to insure life and COM
fort during the enon-productive half. Costly
houses and barns are of the first import
ant. The extra outlay in this item of
buildings alone is a serious one to those
who have to labor for all the capital with
which to start in life.
ECONOMY IL MATTER OF DIET.
Food for the production of animal heat.
TO counteract the low temperature, is an
other costly item. The difference in the
cost Of diet made up largely of meat, re-
qulred by the climate of Minnesota. Wis
consin and Michigan, where the mean
temperature of winter is 500 or lower. and
the cost of a diet composed mainly of
fruits and egetables-sutficient where the
mean temperature never goes lower than
24' above zero-will alone amount to a
large percentage of the twenty-six weeks
earnings.
DIFFERENCE IN FUEL AND CLOTHING.
There is the expense of warm and costly
clothing to be taken into account. which
will be no small item. There is also the
added expense Of Matchmaking fuel. In
every occupied room of the Eastern
house blazing fires of coal or wood must
be maintained from the summers earn
ings. This is the family account only. In